Shari Mann

Shari (Sharon Ann Smith and now Sharon Ann Evanoff) was born in the mid-west and grew up in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. She moved to Hollywood in 1967 where she was immediately hired by David F. Friedman who put her to work in his production company office as a secretary and marketing representative. She was responsible for making sure films were released to theaters all over the country and overseas. Friedman saw her potential as a cast member in several smaller films but it was Director Richard Kanter who believed her to have the talent necessary for several important parts including the one of Allison Jordan in Starlet. Starlet in which Shari Mann played the important part as Allison Jordan, included several notable scenes which many in the film industry view as some of the best acting and directing of the era and in that genre. Shari was in fact nominated for best actress for her excellent lead work in Starlet in 1967. The awards later sponsored by the independent film industries elite became the first independent movie Awards. The plot of how a starlet tries to help her girl friend, who is blackmailed by a producer, was used many times in other films both domestically and internationally following the release and success of Starlet.